February 3, 2006 – Informing his doctor, with transparency, of his erectile capacities could help him to detect the appearance of diabetes or cardiovascular disorders. Indeed, erectile dysfunction would be one of the warning signs of these diseases.
This is what the results of a study indicate1 conducted by a researcher at McGill University in Montreal, receiving funding from Pfizer Canada, the maker of Viagra that treats erectile dysfunction problems.
Of the 3,921 men who took part in the study, 49.4% had experienced, to varying degrees, a problem with turgor during the four weeks before a visit to the doctor. The subjects were aged 40 to 88 years.
As other studies have shown previously, there is a strong relationship between the presence of cardiovascular disease and erectile dysfunction, according to the authors. In fact, in light of these new results, suffering from a cardiovascular problem or diabetes would increase the risk of erectile dysfunction in all age groups – and especially in the youngest (40 to 49 years).
However, researchers found that men who were healthy but with erectile dysfunction had more risk factors for diabetes or cardiovascular disorders. Of these, more cases of metabolic syndrome, hyperglycemia, and fasting blood sugar imbalance have been diagnosed than those without erectile dysfunction.
For researchers, this link remains to be clarified. However, because of the importance of these factors in the onset of cardiovascular disease, they urge physicians to pay special attention to their patients with erectile dysfunction.
Martin Lasalle – PasseportSanté.net
1. Grover SA, Lowensteyn I, Kaouache M, et al, The prevalence of erectile dysfunction in the primary care setting: importance of risk factors for diabetes and vascular disease, Archives of Internal Medicine, January 23, 2006, Vol. 166, No 2, 213-9.
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